BEIJING , Nov. 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 19th G20 Summit is being
held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
from November 18 to 19. Chinese
President Xi Jinping said at the summit that China has announced the decision to give all
the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with
China zero-tariff treatment for
100 percent tariff lines. President Xi previously stated that
development must be placed at the center of G20 cooperation. This
echoes this year's G20 theme, "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet,"
established by Brazil, the G20
presidency. This allows the world to see that this G20 Summit will
continue to focus on development issues, leading to more positive
expectations from the global community.
The summit has three central topics: combating hunger, poverty,
and inequality; addressing climate change with a just transition;
and reforming global governance. Two of the three topics are
directly related to development, highlighting an important change
in the G20 in recent years, that is, it has gradually transformed
from an emergency consultation platform for crisis response into a
long-term and effective governance mechanism dedicated to promoting
a more just, inclusive, and equitable global economic system.
Another more important historical change is that the voices of
"Global South" countries have become louder, with more demands from
developing countries being reflected in G20 agendas. Many in the
Western public have also taken note of this shift.
Achieving such a transformation is not an easy task. Especially
in recent years, with the rise of unilateralism and
protectionism, frictions among various parties have increased, and
geopolitical issues have frequently taken the spotlight, squeezing
the space for pragmatic cooperation within multilateral platforms.
However, the G20 did not go into this direction. As early as the
2016 G20 Hangzhou Summit, China,
as the host country, placed development at the core for the first
time, effectively promoting the G20's shift from focusing on
economic issues to addressing a diverse range of topics, including
development. This trend continues to this day. Then United Nations
secretary-general Ban Ki-moon
commended China for taking the G20
Summit to another level of inclusiveness.
In recent years, China has been
promoting such a transformation. For example, it has proposed and
advanced cutting-edge agendas such as the digital economy and
artificial intelligence, while also introducing topics like green
finance. China has consistently
upheld true multilateralism, advocating for mutual respect, equal
cooperation, and win-win outcomes, effectively countering the
interference of unilateralism and protectionism within the G20.
Today, the G20, while focusing on economic and development
issues, has further increased its attention to building a more
equitable and reasonable global governance system. This has earned
the G20 greater credibility and support, making it more vibrant and
dynamic. The G20 was born out of crisis, but it has not diminished
with the passing of that crisis; instead, it has gradually grown
into a cooperative platform dedicated to fundamentally addressing
crises. The reason for this evolution is evident: It aligns with
the expectations of the vast majority of countries around the
world, which is to promote a bright future of peace, security,
prosperity, and progress for the world.
The G20's focus on development issues not only helps countries
in the "Global South" achieve greater development, but it is also
beneficial for Western developed countries. The total economic
output of G20 members accounts for approximately 85 percent of
global GDP, and their trade volume represents 80 percent of the
world's total. This group includes both affluent developed nations
and emerging economies that are rising rapidly. We have observed
that some voices in the West have had to acknowledge the important
role of the G20, emphasizing that dialogue on the G20 platform must
be prioritized. This is why China
has repeatedly emphasized at G20 summits the need to continue
prioritizing development and to consistently support and strive to
bring development issues back to the core of the international
agenda.
From Hangzhou to Rio,
development remains the most central topic that garners the most
attention at the G20 summits. Achieving greater consensus and
tangible results on development within the G20, an important
platform for international economic cooperation today, is what all
parties expect and what the public desires.
Whether addressing the tensions in global industrial and supply
chains, the negative impacts of unilateralism and protectionism, or
tackling the effects of the lag in global governance reform on the
development of the "Global South," the G20 summit provides a
precious opportunity for discussion. All parties should cherish
this opportunity, put forward more pragmatic measures, and
continuously strive for tangible results.
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SOURCE Global Times